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INOVACIJE I IZAZOVI U OBRAZOVANJU I SESTRINSKOJ SKRBI - KNJIGA SAŽETAKA



               Care for Mother and Child in Munchausen Syndrome


               Munchausen Syndrome is also known as "hospital addiction," referring to a situation where a person,
               usually a mother, frequently visits hospitals citing symptoms of an illness. This syndrome is a severe
               mental illness where a person, in a strong desire for attention, pretends to be sick or intentionally causes
               illness/injury to themselves. Munchausen Syndrome falls into the category of fabricated or factitious
               disorders. It is difficult and often rarely diagnosed, making it challenging to treat; the help for sufferers
               is based on preventing injuries and possible death. Those affected by this syndrome often have extensive
               knowledge of medicine. The reasons are mostly emotional instability, psychological and physical abuse,
               and health difficulties during childhood. Most symptoms of this syndrome are physical, so a mental
               disorder is not suspected. After various tests and findings, physical symptoms can be excluded, leading
               to suspicion of Munchausen Syndrome. Additionally, there is Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy, defined
               as the fabrication or falsification of psychological and physical symptoms in close relatives to indirectly
               assume the role of the sick person. This syndrome most commonly occurs in cases between parent and
               child, with the mother usually being the one who abuses the child and controls the severity and type of
               symptoms,  while  fathers  are  unaware  or  completely  oblivious  to  the  situation.  Mothers  often  visit
               doctors of various medical branches and specializations to obtain as many medications as possible and
               to avoid being discovered for the abuse. "Doctor shopping" is the term for such behavior. In some cases
               of this syndrome, the victim may eventually die due to the mother subjecting the child to excessive and
               various  treatments  until  they  become  paralyzed  and  ultimately  die. This  paper  will  present  several
               examples of this syndrome, the symptoms children reportedly had according to their mothers, the course
               of treatment, treatment outcomes, and ways of detecting this syndrome.

               Key words: child, mother, illness, Munchausen Syndrome, symptoms


















































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